Lately, a hot button issue in Oakland has been the increase in car break ins. Cars are now being broken into more than ever and leaving items in your car is never safe.

In popular areas like College Ave, Montclair and Piedmont Ave, cars are getting broken into left and right, even when there is nothing valuable to be stolen. In Rockridge, one car was broken into 2 times in one year, and another car was broken into 3 times in a year, even though 2 out of the 3 times, there were no items in the car to take. These break ins have been very frustrating for the Oakland community, because even when nothing is taken, they still have to pay for broken windows which can cost upwards of $250. 

Many people are trying to limit the chances of their cars being broken into by not leaving any items in their cars at all and even leaving their windows open, to prevent them from being smashed. Unfortunately, these strategies are not always effective. People’s cars still get broken into when there are no items in the car, and when people have left their windows open, they have come back to find a homeless person sleeping in their car.

Some more effective ways to avoid break-ins are to first, avoid parking fancy cars on the street as many break-in have been targeting more expensive cars, believing that they would have the most possessions. The less fancy the car, the lower the risk that it will be broken into. In addition, parking in garages instead of on the street limits your chance of being broken into significantly as these garages protect the cars and scare off potential thieves. Cars on the street are easily accessed, making them greater targets for break-ins. 

Since people are getting more and more upset about the frequent break ins, they are taking action on a higher level. Many people are trying to get the district attorney, Pamela Price, recalled for not prosecuting thieves. If Price would prosecute the people breaking into cars, people believe break-ins would lessen, but she has not fulfilled the community’s requests.

Clearly, break ins a in Oakland are a huge problem. Oakland needs to start taking action to limit them, or the frustration within the Oakland community will rise and eventually explode.